Elastic-fluid turbine.



C. G. UURTIS.

ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1897.

920,438, Patented May 4, 1909 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I VE TOR;

By his Aftorllmgs.

U. G. CURTIS:

ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1897.

Patented May 4; 1909.

' WITNESSES:

, INVENTOR:

By Ms Affomeys 0. CURTIS. ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE. 4 APPLIUATI'ON FILED JAN. 19, 1897.

Patented May 4, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

INVE TOR:

WITN @SSES: A 6 4 O. G. CURTIS. ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE. APPLICATION FILED 31111.19, 1897 qm 0 N w y M W fi n w .m. M W

Q M M M N w M M M M M. M M om w a. 4M g 5 M A principle of the turbine of'my Patents 566,967, 566,968 and 566,969.

UNITED s'rans n'r CHARLES e. CURTIS, or NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGN OR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO GENERAL,

ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW -YORK.

ELASTIG-FLUID TURBINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented "May 1-, 1909.

Application filed January 19, 189?. Serial No. 619,741.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CnARLEsG. CURris, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the c'ountyand State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Elastic-Fluid Turbines, of which the following is a specification.

\iy invention relates to elastic fluid turbines constructed and operated upon the Nos.

My object is to improve the construction of the turbine in particulars which will hereinafter be described.

In the accompanying, drawing, forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is avertical section of one form of the turbine; Fig. 2 is a similar view of a different form; Fig. 3 is a detailed section taken on lines 33 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4

-is.a detailed section taken on lines 4-4 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a top View and partial section on line 5-.5 in Fig. 1, illustrating particularly the improved construction of the stationary intermediate working passage.

A is the shaft of the turbine carrying the wheel upon which the movable vanes are mounted. Upon the shaft is a hub, B, having flanges U C. To these flanges are bolted or riveted two wrought metal disks, l) D.

To stifi'en these disks laterally, a number of radial web plates, E, of wrought metal, are placed between the disks and riveted to them. This construction of wheel is highly.

advantageous in that'it secures both lightness and great strength. Upon the periphery of each dish is secured a T-shaped wrought metal ring, .l between which and an outer encircling wrought metal band, G, are placed the curved vanes or buckets, ll, forming the movable vanes oi the turbine. 'l he buckets,

ll, are secured in position by rivets, a, which pass through the buckets and the bands, 1*, G.

l .l (Fig. l) are the two parts of theinclosing shell or casing, which for turbines of moderate diameter may be made of cast iron, as illustrated in Fig. l, the part I of the case covering one head and the circumference of the wheel, while the part I is a plate covering the other head of the wheel. In the case of wheels of large diameter, and where the turbine is operated with a vacuum exhaust pressure within the shell, there will be produced a large external pressure upon the heads of the s hell. For these turbines, 1 propose to make the heads, J J of the shell (Fig. 2) of sheet metal, and dish them inwardly as shown to withstand the external pressure. lWith'eithe'r construction of the shell, it will be provided at the center of the heads with supporting hubs, K K, through which the shaft A passes. ing devices surround the shaft. These hubs are supported on pedestals, L L, and the shaft bearings may likewise be supported on the same pedestals or on other pedestals from the same base. By these means the shell of the turbine will be sup orted at the center, and the expansion of t 1e shell due to heat, taking placein all directions from the center,

or interfere with the centering of the shaft in the packings. plicable to turbines of all diameters, is particularly advantageous in a wheel turbine-of large diameter, such as my turbine.

Connected to one head is the delivery nozzle, M, provided with an adjustable tongue, N, for varying the volume of the fluid jet, without substantial changes in its velocity. Connected with the other head of the shell is the exhaust opening, 0. The intermediate stationary passage for conveying the fluid a jet from one set of movable vanes to the other is mounted upon a block, '1, which is l the shell, and has flanges covering such open- Iing, and bolted to the shell to secure the block in place. This construction enables the intermediate stationary passage to be I readily removed from the turbine. The sta l tionary passage is composed preferably of a l number ol vanes, Q, which are mounted on l the bottom of" the block P, by being riveted between top and bottom plates l t, bl, in a manner similar to the method of securing the movable vanes. ln order to give the necesl sary expansion or enlargement from the rel ceiving to the delivery end of the stationary l passage without unnecessarily increasing the j depth of the second set of movable vanes, the 1 intermediate passage is spread out at its dellivering end circumferentially, so as to inl elude a greater number of vanes at its del livery end-than at its receiving end. This 105 Leakage preventwill not disarrange the parts of the turbine This construction, while applaced in an opening in the circumference of. 4

' sage for carrying); the t separate annular sets of movable vanes eardisks at their peripheries and ried by the separated laterally a sullieient distance to l l l permit the location between them of the stationar passage carr mg; the elastic fluid from one set of vanes to another, substantiall as set forth.

2. in an elastic fluid turbine, a vane-ear rying wheel having; in cmnbination a plurality of separate wrought metal lSl-(S, separate annular sets of movable vanes carried by the dis-ks at their peripheries and separated latorally at sullicient oistanee to permit the location between them of the stationary passage cairvii'ig the. elastic iluid from one set of vanes to another, and braces connecting the disks laterally,substantially set forth.

3. in an elastic fluid turbine, a vane-carrying wheel having in combination. a pluralit. of separate wrought metal disks, separate annular sets ol n'iovable vanes carried by the disks at their peripheries and separated laterally a-suilicient distance to permit the location betr-xeen them of the stationary passage carrying; the. elastic lluid from one set of vanes to another, and itltOl'lIKXlltLtO radial ;-.t.iilenin; webs between such disks, substantially as set forth.

1. lnan elastic lluid turbine, t-he combination with the shell and a compound vane-carrying; wheel, of a set of stationary intermediate vanes supported so radially through the shell, su set forth.

In an elastic fluid turbine,the combination wit h the shell and a compound vane-carryin; wheel, of a stat ionary intermediate pas luid from one set of vanes to ai'iother, supported by a block projectinp through an evening; in the shell, through whicl'i it can' be removed, substantially as set forth.

(3. in an elastic fluid turbine, a compound bst'antially as vane-carrying wheel comprising a hub, two.

metal disks secured to said hub, radial metal st ill'ening web placed between the disks and secured to them, and a separate. ring s cured to the periphery ol' each disk, in combination with independent sets of curved vanes secured to the said rings beyond said Fatilloning \n'cbs, leaving" between the two sets of vanes a clear annular space for accommodating; the intermediate stationary vanes, substantially as set forth.

7. In an elastic lluid tlu'bine, a com )ound vane-carrying wl'ieel comprising a hub, two metal disks secured to stiffening webs placed between the disks and secured to them, and a separate ring secured as to be removable saidhub, radial metal dished wrought metal heads [)l'OVll 1 cured to the said a leakage preventing closing; shell havine to the periphery of each disk, in combination with. independent sets of curved vanes serings beyond said stiffening webs, an inclosing; shell, and a stationary intermediate block having vanes therein for carrying; the fluid from one set of vanes to the other, the said block pro ecting through an opening; in the shell, substantially asset forth.

8. in an elastic turbine, the eon'ibination of a shell or casing, a wheel mounted therein, a double row of buckets for the wheel, supports for the buckets which are secured to.

'the sides of the Wheel, a single row of intermediate buckets located between the rows of wheel buckets, and means for discharging moti've fluid against the buckets, substantially as set forth.

9. In an elastic fluid turbine, the combination with a vane-carrying wheel and its shaft, of a circular lIlClOSiilfi, shell provided with hubs at the centers of a head; and device in said hub through which the wheel shaft passes, a hearing for the shaft outside of said leakage preventing; device, and a support for'said hub and bearing; extending; to the base, substantially forth.

10. In an elastic fluid turbine, the combi- =nation with a vanewarrying wheel and its shaft, of a circular inclosine; shell, a hub at the center of a head. of the shell, a leakage preventing device in said bubs thro l which the Wheel shaft passes, a bearing; to:- the shaft outside of such leakage preventing); device, support for said hub and bearing a nozzle in one of the heads, an exhaust opcnin; in the other head, and a block removabl seeured in'the eircuinferonee of the shell and carrying; the intermediate. stationary vanes, substantially as set forth. 4

ii. In an elastic lluid tu'rbine,,the combination with a vatiii-carrying wheel, of an ininwardl, dished wrought cured to the renters of metal hcads, hubs sa d heads and prov vent ng; devices through. which the wheel shalt pass-n t and pedestals supporting, said hubs, ;-;ub--.lai'.tiall as set forth.

12. In an elastic ihud turbine, the combination with a rireular int'losl 1;; shell having inwm'dly dished 'vvrouszjht.nzctal heads provided with central hubs, and pedestals supporting: said hubs, of a vaoeu'areying: wheel mounted in said shell on a shaft which pas throu ,;h leakage preventing devices in s. hubs, and shall. bearingrs outside of the shell supported from the same base as the shell,- substantially as set forth.

13. in an elastic lluid turbine, the combination with a eireular ineloslng shell eom prising; a wrought m tal ring and inwardly led with central'l'iubs, and pedestals supporting; said hubs, of a vane-carrying wheel mounted in ided with leal-1aie pres" said shell ona' shaft which passes through leaka e preventing devices in said hubs, and shaftbearings outside of the shell supported from the same base as the shell, substantially as set forth. z. i

14. In an elastic fluid turbine, the combination with a vane-carrying wheel, of an iiiclosing shell having inwardly dished wrought metal heads and a wrought metal iiiclosing ring connecting the heads, the deliver nozzle secured to one of said wrought metal heads and projecting therethrough, the exhaust port secured to the other wrought metal ead, and a stationary intermediate passage secured to a block projecting through an opening in the wrong tiallyas set forth. 1 '15. In an elastic fluid turbine, the combination with a vane carrying wheel having two annular sets of vanes, of an intermediate passage connecting the vanes of the LWO sets and expanded circumferentially toward its discharging end and means for discharging motive fluid against the vanes in a direction parallel to the axis of the wheel, substantially as set forth. I

In an elastic fluid turbine, the combination with two annular sets of rotating vanes, of an intermediate stationary passage expanded or enlarged in the direction from its receiving to its discharging end both circumferentially and radially, substantially as set forth.

17. In an elastic fluid turbine, the combination with two annular sets of rotating vanes, of an intermediate stationary passage composed of a number of curved vanes, suclr passage being expanded circumferentially toward its d scharging end, and the delivery ends of the different vanes of the passage being maintained at the same angle, substantially as set forth.

18. In an elastic fluid turbine, a shaft and a vane-carrying wheel formed of a plurality of disks and having annular sets of movable vanes carried by the disks at their peripheries and separated laterally a suffic ent distance to permit the location between them of the stationary passage carrying the elastic fluid from one set of vanes to another, there being means other than the shaft connecting the disks together, substantially as set forth. e 19.- In an elastic fluid turbine, a vanecarrying wheel having in combination' a plurality of disks, annular sets of movable vanes carried by the disks at their peripheries and separated laterally a suflicients ditance-to permit the location between them of the stationary passage carrying the elastic fluid from one set of vanes to another, and means intermediate the center and periphery of the disks for connecting them together, substantially as set forth.

20. In an elastic fluid turbine/the combisubstantially as set forth.

it metal ring, substan' nation of a shell or casing, a shaft therein, a wheel mounted on the shaft, plural means for supporting a double row of buckets, means other than the shaft connecting the bucket supporting means together, a single row of intermediate buckets located between the rows of wheel buckets and means for discharging motive fluid against .the buckets,

2.1..In an elastic fluid turbine, the turbine wheel composed of two or more disks clamped together, rings secured to such disks at their eripheries, vanes carried by such rings and bands encircling the vanes and secured thereto, substantially -as set forth.

22. In an elastic fluid turbine, the combination with the shell and vane carrying Wheel, of a stationary intermediate passage, supported by a block, the said passage being formed. of vanes secured to the block, with a plate between the vanes and the block.

23. In an elastic fluid turbine, a wheel, a member mounted on the wheel, devices to attach the member to the wheel, a plurality which rests on the outer end of the vanes,

and which is separable therefrom, the-said cover forming one wall of the vane spaces.

24. In an elastic fluid turbine, a 'vane carrying wheel having separate vanes, a supporting member for the vanes, and a curved strip between the vanes and-supporting member, the said. strip being formed of thin stock.

25. In an elastic fluid turbine, a vanecarrying wheel having a rim, separate vanes for axial flow,-devices for securing the vanes necting the outer ens of the vanes and holding the vanes against centrifugal stress,

to the rim in a radial. osition, a cover 0011- and devices for securing the cover to the .and a strip or cover connecting t e outside ends of the vanes and-secured theret0,"the

inner and outer ends of'the vanes "being flat where in engagement with the strips This s ecification signed and witnessed this 8th ay of J an. 1897.

CHARLES G. CURTIS. \Vitnesscs:

EUGENE CONRAN, JNo. R. TAYLOR. 

